😂 Let’s end the week on a laugh

😆 Laughing at the News

Comedian Eddie Ortiz joins City Cast Nashville on the podcast today for our weekly Friday News Roundup to discuss local news and have some laughs. Whether they’re chatting about Bonnaroo, 615 Day, the importance of voting, or whatever else is going on, it’s sure to be a fun listen! [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🏦 Metro Council Releases Substitute Budget

Metro Council Budget Chair Delishia Porterfield’s finalized substitute budget proposal includes a 4% pay raise for Metro workers, $1 million towards the Varsity Spending Plan to help establish a pilot restorative justice program, and an additional $750,000 to the REACH program, which pairs mental health professionals with paramedics. While she didn’t include every item on council member wishlists, her alternative to Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s spending plan does include many of them. [Nashville Banner]

❗ Vanderbilt Fails Trans Patients

A U.S. Senate Finance Committee report found that Vanderbilt University Medical Center failed their transgender patients when they released 82 trans patient records to the Tennessee attorney general last year. The report looked at four states where attorney generals made these requests, and singled out VUMC for their lack of resistance in protecting patient privacy. My heart goes out to anyone whose medical records were released. [WPLN]

🎨 Metro Arts Gets Audited

Nashville’s internal auditor released a report Wednesday revealing Metro Arts violated multiple government policies for the last two years, including paying excessive overtime (one employee supposedly worked 20-hour days in a 14-day pay period) and irregularities in grant application scoring. The audit also points to a breakdown in communication between Metro agencies as well as high employee turnover. Phew, I feel like we’re getting more updates about this hot mess daily. [WPLN]